Lauraceae
Camphora

Camphora officinarum Boerh. ex Fabr.

First published in Enum. Meth. Pl., ed. 2: 400 (1763)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Korea (Jeju-do), W. Central & S. Japan to E. & S. Taiwan. It is a tree and grows primarily in the subtropical biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Distribution

Native to:

Japan, Korea, Nansei-shoto, Taiwan

Introduced into:

Alabama, Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Caroline Is., China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, El Salvador, Fiji, Florida, Georgia, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Hawaii, Honduras, Laos, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Marianas, Mauritius, Mississippi, Nepal, New South Wales, New Zealand North, Norfolk Is., North Carolina, Pakistan, Queensland, Réunion, Seychelles, South Carolina, Texas, Trinidad-Tobago, Victoria, Vietnam

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms

Accepted Infraspecifics

Classification

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Publications

An alternative taxonomy had been proposed by the following authorities:

  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 7: 1-499. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis). [Cited as Cinnamomum camphora.]

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.
  • Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29-1: 1-438.
  • Bosser, J., Cadet, T., Guého, J. & Marais, W. (1982). Flore des Mascareignes 153-160: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Cameron, E. & al. (2023). Vascular plants and birds of Rabbit Island/Takangariki, Kawau Bay. Journal, Auckland Botanical Society 78: 7-10.
  • Choudhary, R.K., Srivastava, R.C., Das, A.K. & Lee, J. (2012). Floristic diversity assessment and vegetation analysis of Upper Siang district of eastern Himalaya in North East India. Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy 42: 222-246.
  • Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  • Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1997). Flora of North America North of Mexico 3: 1-590. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.
  • Kral, R., Diamond, A.R., Ginzbarg, S.L., Hansen, C.J., Haynes, R.R., Keener, B.R., Lelong, M.G., Spaulding, D.D. & Woods, M. (2011). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Alabama: 1-112. Botanical reseach institute of Texas.
  • Lisowski, S. (2009). Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée. Scripta Botanica Belgica 41: 1-517.
  • Nasir, E. & Ali, S.I. (eds.) (1970-1995). Flora of West Pakistan 1-131.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  • Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
  • Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1994). Oceanic Islands 1. Flora of Australia 49: 1-681. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
  • Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R. & Sohmer, S.H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, rev. ed., 1: 1-988. University of Hawai'i Press, Bishop Museum Press.
  • Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (2007). Flora of Australia 2: 1-486. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 7: 1-499. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jan 1, 2012 de Kok, R.P.J. [1523] China Cinnamomum camphora K000734367 Yes
Jan 1, 2012 de Kok, R.P.J.,, Seda Sengun, Weng Fe [1572] China Cinnamomum camphora K000734490 No
Jan 1, 1972 Taquet, E.J. [5917] Korea, South Cinnamomum camphora K000778565 Unknown Type Material Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Zambia Cinnamomum camphora K002235117 Yes
Chase, N.C. [648] Mozambique Cinnamomum camphora K002235113 Yes
s.coll. [1661] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235130 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Tanzania Cinnamomum camphora K002235097 Yes
Baron, R. (Rev.) [5267] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235129 Yes
Langley Kitching [s.n.] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235139 Yes
Baron, R. (Rev.) [4037] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235128 Yes
Balsinhas, A. [2200] Mozambique Cinnamomum camphora K002235112 Yes
s.coll. [6] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235142 Yes
Hughes, J.L. [42] Tanzania Cinnamomum camphora K002235095 Yes
Wild, H. [4147] Zimbabwe Cinnamomum camphora K002235115 Yes
Decary, M. [4199] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235131 Yes
Langley Kitching [s.n.] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235126 Yes
Meller [s.n.] Madagascar Cinnamomum camphora K002235127 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235143 Yes
[F. Leelere] [5] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235138 Yes
Gardiner, J.S. [s.n.] Seychelles Cinnamomum camphora K002235132 Yes
s.coll. [1] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235141 Yes
Chapman, J.D. [1172] Malawi Cinnamomum camphora K002235114 Yes
[F. Leelue] [6] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235137 Yes
Ngoundai, S. [279] Tanzania Cinnamomum camphora K002235094 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235133 Yes
[A. Margueritte] [1] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235136 Yes
Delord, A. [s.n.] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235134 Yes
Semsei, S.R. [4215] Tanzania Cinnamomum camphora K002235096 Yes
Delord, A. [s.n.] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235135 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Zambia Cinnamomum camphora K002235116 Yes
Christenhusz, M.J.M.,, Kamau, P., Mbale, M.; Chase, M.W. [6679] Kenya Cinnamomum camphora K000696625 Yes
[A. Manganeitte] [2] Mauritius Cinnamomum camphora K002235140 Yes
s.coll. [Cat. no. 2604] Laurus camphora K001116546 Unknown Type Material Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0